Expand your options.

A master’s degree leads to more opportunities in education, from standing out in the applicant pool to having qualifications for leadership positions.

Abilene Christian University offers a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Teaching and Learning with two different tracks: an Initial Certification track and a Master Reading Teacher track. Both are cohort based, fostering professional learning communities.

The fifth-year Initial Certification track, designed for high-performing teacher candidates, allows you to begin graduate-level courses in your final undergraduate semester at ACU. You will participate in a year-long clinical teaching placement in high-needs schools and classrooms, and you will leave equipped to meet the needs of diverse student populations. Hear from faculty and current and former students in this informational video.

The Master Reading Teacher track is designed for current classroom teachers with at least two years of teaching experience whose teaching assignment includes literacy instruction. This program will prepare teachers for certification as Master Reading Teachers in the state of Texas.

Tracks

What outcomes can you expect?

Admission Requirements for the Initial Certification track:

Candidates will begin the process by submitting a Statement of Intent in the EDUC 211 semester and will formally apply to the Fifth-Year Master's in Teaching and Learning Degree Sequence during the fall semester, one year prior to matriculation. Applications will be due on the second to last Friday in November with notification of acceptance prior to the spring semester.

Candidates will then apply to the graduate school in the fall semester of their senior year to begin taking graduate level courses the following spring, while completing their undergraduate coursework for May graduation.

Candidates must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree that includes teacher certification.

A completed application to the Fifth-Year Master’s in Teaching and Learning Degree Sequence with a statement of purpose and philosophy (maximum of 2 pages with 12 pt. font, double-spaced) addressing one’s motivation for pursuing the degree and describing one’s current philosophy of education. You may submit your application and statement to Dr. Dana Kennamer Pemberton, chair of the Department of Teacher Education, ACU Box 29008;

A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at ACU;

A minimum major GPA of 3.0 at ACU;

No grade lower than a B in any undergraduate Professional Education courses (EDUC, READ, EACH, SPED);

Dispositions Reviews completed by three ACU faculty members (two from the Department of Teacher Education and one from the content area department for middle school, high school and all-levels applicants except special education, or three from the Department of Teacher Education for all other applicants) and submitted in a sealed envelope to Dr. Dana Kennamer Pemberton, chair of the Department of Teacher Education, ACU Box 29008;

Note: An interview process may be required for competitive applicants who do not fully meet the above criteria. Once accepted, these qualifications must be maintained to remain in the program.

Complete an application to the ACU Office of Graduate Programs in the fall prior to the spring semester you are applying to begin;

$50 application fee; and

An official transcript(s) in English (or translated to English) of all previous college work (official means an original with the seal that comes directly from the issuing institution to ACU). The transcript must indicate a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Admissions are made on the assumption that applicants will have the bachelor's degree by the time of matriculation, and if not, the graduate school admission is void.

Candidates’ interviews and purpose statements will be evaluated using rubrics designed by faculty in Teacher Education. Applicants not accepted into the cohort will be retained on a waiting list and encouraged to reapply for the next cohort.

The degree is offered at a reduced cost and each teacher accepted to the program will receive a minimum scholarship of $2,000.00 from the Department of Teacher Education.

Ready to Be a Part?

We’re eager to see not only what you can accomplish with an ACU education, but how your unique perspective can enrich your fellow classmates and ACU as a whole.